| 2 Hadiths


Hadith
106
It was narrated that ‘Ali said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not tell lies about me; whoever tells lies about me, let him enter the Fire.”.

Commentary : In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) warns against telling lies about him, or attributing to him any words that he did not utter, or saying about him anything other than what really happened. So it should not be said that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said or did anything that he did not say or do, regardless of whether that is done with a bad intention or a good intention. This prohibition is general and applies to anyone who tells lies, because telling lies about him leads to introducing changes to Islamic teachings, and altering Islamic rulings. The punishment for the one who tells lies about him deliberately is admittance to Hell. Once a divine decree has been issued concerning something, it will inevitably happen and will definitely come to pass. This is a stern warning to anyone who tells lies about the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It was said that there is no difference between telling lies against him or telling lies for him, because what is meant by telling lies about him is attributing something to him that is not true, whether it is done with the intention of undermining his message or of supporting his message. Telling lies against Allah comes under the same heading and is telling lies about the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), because the aim of telling lies against Him is to tell lies with regard to the rulings of religion.
This hadith is indicative of the emphatic prohibition on telling lies about the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It indicates that whoever narrates a hadith knowing or thinking that it is fabricated is included in this warning, unless he explains the status of the narrators and how weak they are. Similar to that is one who rejects a sahih (sound) hadith that was narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) without having any knowledge of the science of hadith, or his reason for rejecting the hadith is stubbornness towards the teachings and rulings of Islam..

111
It was narrated that Abu Juhayfah said: I said to ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib: Do you have anything in writing? He said: No, except the Book of Allah, or understanding that may be granted to any Muslim man, or what is in this sheet. I said: What is in this sheet? He said: [Information about] blood money, the ransom of prisoners, and that no Muslim should be killed in retaliation for a disbeliever..

Commentary : Some of the people thought that before he died, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) left a will containing secret knowledge to his cousin ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). In this report, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) clearly tells us that all of that is contrary to reality, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not leave anything behind except the Qur’an and his Sunnah, and the ability to understand the Qur’an that Allah may grant to an intelligent and knowledgeable Muslim. Thus intelligence and ability to understand is regarded as another level, after learning and memorizing the Book of Allah, because by understanding it, meanings and rulings become clear. Alongside the Qur’an, we may include understanding of the Sunnah and deriving rulings from it. The phrase “understanding that may be granted to any Muslim man” highlights the fact that this understanding is not something exclusive or a monopoly for any one person; rather this understanding is something that any Muslim may have, and it is something that is granted by Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), as He says: {And We gave understanding of the case to Solomon} [al-Anbiya’ 21:79]. Understanding is a blessing that Allah may bestow upon any of His slaves.
Then ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) mentions some issues that were written on a sheet; the word refers to something on which words are written, no matter what it is made of, such as leather, palm leaves and the like. This document contained Islamic rulings that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had not given exclusively to him; rather others also knew about them. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would not have concealed anything of the religion of Allah from people and given it exclusively to some of his family. The issues mentioned on this sheet include ‘aql and diyah; these terms refer to blood money, which is a set amount of wealth, as stipulated in Islamic teachings, which is to be given by the relatives of the killer to the family of the one who was killed. It is called ‘aql because they used to hobble (ya‘qilun) the camels in the courtyard of the family who were entitled to the blood money [which was given in the form of camels]. What is meant is that the rulings on blood money, and the number, types and ages of camels to be given [were written in that document].
The document also contained information on the ransom of prisoners. What is referred to is Muslim prisoners, as it is obligatory to strive to ransom them and secure their release by all permissible means, whether by paying money or otherwise.
And the document stated that “no Muslim should be killed in retaliation for a disbeliever.” What is meant is that if a believer kills a disbeliever who is in a state of war against the Muslims, then there is no retaliatory punishment (qisas) in this case; this is different from the case of a disbeliever who has a covenant with the Muslims and is under Muslim protection. And in some reports, other issues and instructions are also mentioned.
This hadith demonstrates the falseness of the claims invented by the Rafidis and Shia who said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) bequeathed to ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) the secrets and foundations of knowledge, and knowledge of the unseen, that he did not tell to anyone else.
It indicates that the Book of Allah is the source of knowledge, and that understanding of knowledge should only be based on the Qur’an and on the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) which explain it.
It indicates that the knowledgeable person may derive from the Qur’an, on the basis of his own understanding, something that was not referred to in the books of tafsir. But that is on condition that it is in accordance with the basic principles of Islam..

112
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that [the tribe of] Khuza‘ah killed a man from [the tribe of] Banu Layth – during the year of the conquest of Makkah – in revenge for one of their own whom Banu Layth had killed. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was told about that, so he sat on his camel and addressed the people, saying: “Allah held back killing or the elephant from Makkah – Abu ‘Abdillah [one of the narrators] said it like that; Abu Nu‘aym said: you may take it as being either the elephant or killing; others said that the word is the elephant – and He sent against them the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the believers. O people, it was not permissible for anyone [to fight in Makkah] before me, and it will not be permissible for anyone after me. O people, it was only permitted to me for part of the day, and undoubtedly at this very moment it is sacred; its thorny shrubs are not to be uprooted and its trees are not to be cut down; lost property that has been dropped in it is not to be picked up except by one who will announce it. If someone is killed, there are two options: either to give blood money or the family of the victim may be given the power to kill him. A Yemeni man came and said: Write it down for me, O Messenger of Allah. So he said: Write it down for Abu Fulan (Father of So-and-so). A man of Quraysh said: Except idhkhir, O Messenger of Allah, for we use it in our houses and our graves. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Except idhkhir, except idhkhir.”.

Commentary : During the Jahiliyyah, the people lived lives that were based on misguidance, and they prescribed different types of injustice and bloodshed. Then Islam came and forbade all types of injustice and wrongdoing, and emphatically forbade unlawful bloodshed.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the tribe of Khuza‘ah killed a man from the tribe of Banu Layth in revenge for one of their own whom Banu Layth had killed during the Jahiliyyah. That happened during the year of the conquest of Makkah, 8 AH. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to know of that, so he addressed the people from atop his mount – his she-camel – and explained to them that Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) had held back killing or the elephant from Makkah on the day when Abrahah the Ethiopian had tried to destroy the Kaaba, forty years before the mission of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) began. This event is mentioned in the verse in which Allah (may He be exalted) says: {Have you not considered, [O Muhammad], how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant} [al-Fil 105:1]. Allah (may He be exalted) sent against the companions of the elephant flocks of birds which struck them with stones of hard clay when they reached the bottom of the valley near Makkah, and destroyed them.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) only reminded his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) of the incident of the elephant in his speech to them in order to highlight the prohibition on killing in Makkah, because even though the people of Makkah were disbelievers at that time, Allah still defended the city, so the sanctity of its people after the advent of Islam is even greater.
But Allah sent against the people of Makkah the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and fighting was only permitted in Makkah at the time when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the city as a conqueror, along with his companions. Then the prohibition on fighting was restored as it had been before. Fighting in Makkah was not permitted to anyone before him and will never be permitted to anyone after him, because the sanctity of Makkah is something ancient, something that was decreed in the distant past and is still ongoing; it is not something that was introduced by the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or that is unique to his law. It sanctity was restored after the conquest.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade cutting its vegetation, including large trees, small trees and shrubs, and small plants such as grasses, except the type of grass called idhkir, because the people needed it. It is a type of grass with broad leaves and a pleasant lemony fragrance, the flowers of which may be steeped like tea. It is a beneficial plant that may be burned instead of wood; they used to use it in the roofs of their houses and to cover their graves, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) exempted it from the prohibition on cutting vegetation.
The man from Quraysh who requested the exemption of idhkhir was al-‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), as is mentioned in as-Sahihayn. His request was a plea, and the Prophet’s granting of that concession was by way of conveying from Allah (may He be exalted) something that came either by way of inspiration or by way of revelation.
The phrase “its thorny shrubs are not to be uprooted” means that they are not to be taken or cut. The mention of thorns indicates that it is more appropriate that other shrubs or trees that are not harmful should be protected, but thorny bushes may be excluded from the prohibition because they are harmful, so it may be permissible to cut them down, by analogy with the permissibility of killing the five vermin in the Haram zone, because what they all have in common is the fact that they are harmful.
It is forbidden to pick up any lost property except by one who will announce it, so nothing that has been dropped by someone in Makkah should be picked up; rather it should be left where it is until its owner comes back and finds it. It should not be picked up except by someone who intends to announce it and keep it until its owner comes.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave the choice to the heirs of the one who has been killed between accepting the blood money (‘aql or diyah) and killing the killer in retaliation (qisas); this applies in the case of deliberate killing. In the case of accidental killing, however, there is no option except the blood money. The blood money (‘aql) is an amount of wealth to be given by the offender to the one who was harmed, commensurate with the degree of the offence. It is called ‘aql because they used to hobble (ya‘qilun) the camels in the courtyard of the family who were entitled to the blood money.
According to the report narrated by Ahmad from Shurayh (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave the diyah for the man of Banu Layth whom the tribe of Khuza‘ah had killed.
Whilst the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was saying that, a Yemeni man – whose name was Abu Shah, as narrated in as-Sahihayn – came and asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to write for him some advice that would benefit him. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Write for Abu Fulan.” This was a clear instruction to write, even though previously the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had forbidden writing down the Sunnah. Most of the scholars said that the hadiths which enjoin writing down the Sunnah abrogated the hadiths which forbid that. The prohibition was for a reason, which was that perhaps the hadiths of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would be mixed with the Qur’an. Once that reason was no longer applicable, permission was given to write hadiths, because the reason for this reservation was no longer applicable. This is supported by the fact that the instruction to write was general in wording and meaning, and it came at a later time. It was also said that the prohibition was on writing hadiths with Qur’an on the same sheet, because they used to listen to the explanation of verses, and perhaps they wrote the explanation with the verses. So they were forbidden to do that, lest they get confused, but they were given permission to write the Sunnah on separate sheets, or perhaps that was allowed for certain individuals in a few instances, such as one who needed it to be written for him, and so on. Once the revelation was completed, that reason was no longer applicable, and that was after the Sahabah’s knowledge of the Qur’an had become well-entrenched and there was no fear that they might mix it with the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). And it was said that the prohibition was for those who had reliable memories, for fear that they might begin to rely on writing. As for permission to write the hadith, it was given to those whose memories were not reliable. Some of the Sahabah continued to refrain from writing down hadith by way of being extra cautious and prudent, and because of individual concern lest they incur sin or mix Qur’an with Sunnah, or lest they be distracted from writing down the Qur’an.
In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) reminds the people of the blessing of Allah in holding back the elephant from Makkah, which was a sign that was attested to by everyone, good and evil alike.
It indicates that if someone hears beneficial words that he will not be able to memorize properly, he should request that they be written down, as Abu Shah did.
It indicates that it is permissible to ask questions and discuss religious issues with a knowledgeable person or scholar, and to do that in gatherings.
We also see in this hadith the command to write down the hadith and Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). .

113
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that he said: There is no one among the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) who narrated more hadiths from him than me, except ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, for he used to write down hadiths and I did not..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to preserve the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in various ways. Some of them committed it to memory, and others wrote it down on sheets and in books. Some of them did a great deal of that and some of them did a little.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that there was no one among the Sahabah who narrated more hadiths than him, except ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him); he had a unique advantage over Abu Hurayrah in that he used to write down the hadith; he would write down whatever he heard.
The words of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) imply that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As (may Allah be pleased with him) collected more hadiths than he did, even though what is narrated from him is less in number. That is for several reasons, the first of which is that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) lived in Egypt, and he used to travel between Egypt and al-Ta’if to reside for some time in each place. Seekers of knowledge did not travel to those two places as they would travel to Madinah, where Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) lived. Abu Hurayrah was also in a position to issue fatwas and teach hadith until he died, as can be seen from the large number of people who narrated from Abu Hurayrah. It was said that eight hundred of the Tabi‘in narrated from him, which did not happen in the case of anyone else. The second reason is that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) was more focused on worship than teaching, so fewer reports were narrated from him. The third reason is something that was unique to Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), which was that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed that he would not forget what he heard from him. The fourth reason was that in Syria, ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) had acquired a camel-load of books of the People of the Book, which he used to read and narrate from them, so many of the leading scholars among the Tabi‘in avoided learning from him.
The words of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) clearly state that they used to write down the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), even though he had previously forbidden them to write down the Sunnah and hadith, as Muslim narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not write down anything from me. Whoever has written down anything from me other than the Qur’an, let him erase it.” That was for fear that the Qur’an might become mixed with other things. But after the Qur’an had been memorized and become well entrenched in the hearts of the Sahabah, and there was no longer any fear of them mixing it with anything else, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave permission to some of the Sahabah to write down hadiths.
This hadith highlights the virtue of Abu Hurayrah and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As (may Allah be pleased with them both).
It also indicates that those of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) who were literate both memorized the hadiths and wrote them down as an extra precaution. If a narrator heard a hadith but did not write it down, he relied only on what he had memorized, so his accuracy was based on only one thing, whereas the accuracy of the literate person who also wrote it down was based on two things..

114
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: When the ailment of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) grew intense, he said: “Bring me something on which to write for you some words after which you will not go astray.” ‘Umar said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is gravely ill, and we have the Book of Allah; it is sufficient for us. But they disagreed, and a great clamour broke out, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Go away and leave me alone; no one should quarrel in my presence.” Ibn ‘Abbas went out, saying: What a great calamity it was that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was prevented from writing what he wanted to write..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen for his ummah to remain united and not differ both during his lifetime and after his death. Hence in his Sunnah he clarified all religious matters, highlighted which were most important, and explained in detail many issues concerning which disputes could potentially arise.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet’s pain grew intense during his final illness – and in Sahih al-Bukhari it says that that happened on a Thursday, four days before the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died – he asked the Sahabah to let him write for them something after which they would not go astray, and that would be a guide for them to the straight path, after which they would never drift away from the path of truth or deviate from the correct way. But ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) spoke up and said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was overwhelmed with pain, so it was too difficult for him to dictate what he wanted to write, or to write it himself.
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) feared for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and was worried that his concern about writing something might exacerbate his pain and sickness, especially as he was prone to fainting during this sickness, and so on. He thought that the Prophet’s command, “Bring me something on which to write,” was by way of guiding them to what would be better and more appropriate, and he said: The Book of Allah is sufficient for us, meaning: we have the Qur’an, and that is enough for us, for Allah (may He be exalted) says, {We have neglected nothing in the Book} [al-An‘am 6:38], and He says: {This day I have perfected for you your religion} [al-Ma’idah 5:3]. There is nothing that will happen until the Day of Resurrection except that there is a clear text concerning it in the Qur’an and Sunnah, or there is a reference to it. This is indicative of ‘Umar’s deep insight; it does not mean that the Qur’an is sufficient with no need for the explanation of the Sunnah. ‘Umar’s main concern was that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) should rest, because he was so ill and overwhelmed by pain, and it would be difficult for him to dictate what he wanted to write or to write it himself, until he recovered, at which time he would be able to dictate whatever he wanted. However, it is as if some of those present insisted on him writing these things. Hence the Sahabah began to argue and there were too many people speaking at once, which prompted the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to order them to go out and leave him alone, explaining that it was not appropriate for them to argue in his presence.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to warn them against dissent and disagreement, because that could lead to the loss of something good, as happened with regard to the definition of Laylat al-Qadr and other matters. The dispute and clamour that occurred in this instance were the reason why this writing did not occur; it was not what ‘Umar or anyone else said (may Allah be pleased with them all). At this point, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, when narrating this hadith: What a great calamity it was that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was prevented from writing what he wanted to write. The dispute is the reason why he did not write what he wanted to write.
There is a difference of scholarly opinion as to what he wanted to write. It was said that he wanted to write a document in which he stated some rulings, so as to leave no room for dispute. It was said that he wanted to write the names of the caliphs to come after him, so that there would be no dispute among them. This is supported by a report narrated by Muslim, which says that when his sickness began, when he was in ‘A’ishah’s house, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Call for me your father and your brother, so that I may write something down, for I fear that someone may raise his hopes (of becoming caliph), or someone may suggest (that So-and-so should be the caliph), when Allah and the believers will not accept anyone except Abu Bakr.” A similar report was narrated by al-Bukhari.
This hadith indicates that dispute and argument may be the cause of being deprived of some blessings and goodness.
It indicates that the Sahabah expressed their views on the basis of their individual understanding (ijtihad) in the presence of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) with regard to a matter concerning which there was no revelation.
It indicates that proper etiquette when visiting the sick is not to stay with the sick person so long that it causes him annoyance, and not to speak in his presence of things that could upset him.
It indicates that if sickness and pain become too intense, it is permissible for the sick person to tell his visitors to leave.
It is indicative of the virtue of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and his understanding of religion.
It tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not clearly state that any particular individual should be the caliph after he was gone..

115
It was narrated that Umm Salamah said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) woke up one night and said: “Subhan-Allah! How many fitnahs (tribulations and punishments) have been sent down this night, and how many stores have been opened! Wake up the ladies of the apartments, for she who is clothed in this world may be naked in the hereafter.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was kind and compassionate towards the believers. This hadith highlights one aspect of his compassion towards his ummah. The Mother of the Believers Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) woke up one night, when he was in her house, amazed at what Allah had sent down on that night of tribulations and punishments, and what He had opened of the stores of mercy and so on. He referred to punishment by using the word fitnah, because fitnah is a cause of punishment. He referred to mercy as stores, because Allah (may He be exalted) says: {Or do they have the depositories of the mercy of your Lord?} [Sad 38:9].
This was a dream that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw. What is meant is that that after he was gone, there would be fitnahs and troubles, and that the stores of divine mercy would be opened for his ummah. Fitnahs and troubles indeed happened, as is well known, and the stores were opened as the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) prevailed over the Persians, Byzantines and others.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) issued instructions to wake his wives to pray and seek refuge with Allah from what had come down, so that they would be the first to seek refuge from the fitnahs and tribulations of this world, for it was not appropriate for them to neglect worship and rely on their being wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It is said that this was addressed exclusively to them because they were the ones who were present at that time.
With regard to the phrase “for she who is clothed in this world may be naked in the hereafter”, the word translated as “may” here is sometimes used to indicate that the number referred to is small, or it may be used to indicate that it is great, as is the case here. What is meant is: she who is showered with the blessings of Allah but fails to give thanks, or she who is covered with clothes in this world because she is wealthy, may be naked in the hereafter because she is deprived of reward as she did not strive in the first world; or it may refer to one whose clothing covers part of her body, and exposes part of it, showing off her beauty. It was also said that it refers to one who wears a thin garment that shows the shape of her body, so even if she is covered with clothing, she is naked in reality; or she may be covered with clothing and jewellery, but she is devoid of the garment of piety; or she may be clothed because of the blessing of marriage to a righteous man, but she will be naked in the hereafter because she had no righteous deeds of her own to her credit and the righteousness of her husband will not benefit her.
This hadith indicates that a man may wake his family at night to pray and remember Allah (dhikr), especially when a sign [or natural phenomenon] appears, or following an alarming dream.
It indicates that it is prescribed to say “Subhan-Allah” when one is amazed.
This hadith is one of the signs of the Prophet’s prophethood.
It indicates that prayer protects against fitnahs and troubles, and also protects against calamities.
It also contains a warning against forgetting to give thanks to the Bestower of blessings, and that a woman should not rely on the noble status of her husband..

116
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that he said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in praying ‘Isha’ at the end of his life. When he said the salaam and stood up, he said: “Do you see this night of yours? One hundred years from now, there will be left no one who is alive on the face of the earth tonight.”.

Commentary : In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoke of a matter of the unseen of which Allah had informed him, as ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led them in praying ‘Isha’ one day at the end of his life. According to a report narrated by Muslim from Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him), that happened one month before he died. When he said the salaam and finished his prayer, he turned to them and exhorted them, and he told them that after one hundred years had passed, there would be no one left on the face of the earth who was alive on that night. And this is what happened. Even though some of those people lived to a great age, none of them were left alive one hundred years after that night on which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told them of that. That was a reminder to them that life is short. Thus he informed them that they would not live as long as the nations who came before them, so that they would strive hard.
This hadith is one of the signs of the prophethood of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

117
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: I stayed overnight in the house of my maternal aunt Maymunah bint al-Harith, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was at her house, as it was her night. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed ‘Isha’ [in the mosque], then he came to his house and prayed four rak‘ahs, then he went to sleep. Then he got up, then he said: “Has the young lad gone to sleep?” or words to that effect. Then he got up, and I went and stood on his left. He made me stand on his right, then he prayed five rak‘ahs, then he prayed two rak‘ahs, then he went to sleep, until I heard his deep, rhythmic breathing. Then he went out to pray..

Commentary : Our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the best of people in worshipping his Lord and standing before Him. The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and to learn his Sunnah, act in accordance with it and convey it to those who came after them. From an early age, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was very keen to do that.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he stayed one night with his maternal aunt Maymunah bint al-Harith, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), when it was her night with him. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed ‘Isha’, he came to her house, then he prayed four rak‘ahs, then he went to sleep. Then he woke up and asked: Has the boy gone to sleep? – referring to Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). He called him al-ghulayyim (translated here as “the young lad”), which is a diminutive form, by way of showing compassion to the young child, and out of concern that he should get enough sleep .
Then when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) got up, Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) got up with him and stood on his left-hand side to pray with him, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took hold of him and made him stand on his right. Then he prayed five rak‘ahs, then he prayed two rak‘ahs, then he went to sleep. The word thumma (translated here as “then”) suggests that some time passed in between, to indicate that his going to sleep did not come immediately after he had prayed; rather he stayed awake for some time after praying, then he went to sleep, until Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) could hear the deep, rhythmic breathing of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which indicates that the sleeper is sleeping deeply. He slept until he got up and went out for Fajr prayer without doing wudu’, as is mentioned in as-Sahihayn. This is something that was unique to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as falling asleep whilst lying down did not invalidate his wudu’, because although his eyes slept, his heart did not sleep.
The total number of rak‘ahs that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in this report was 11: four, then five, then two. According to a report narrated by al-Bukhari, he prayed thirteen rak‘ahs. This is the most that is mentioned in any report. The two reports can be reconciled by noting that those who mentioned eleven did not count the first two rak‘ahs of Fajr; those who did mention the first two gave the total as thirteen.
This hadith highlights the virtue of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and his intelligence from an early age, and tells us that he was watching what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did all night.
It also highlights how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed at night (qiyam al-layl) and strove hard in worship.
It also indicates that a small movement does not invalidate the prayer. .

118
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The people say that Abu Hurayrah narrates too much. Were it not for two verses in the Book of Allah, I would not have narrated any hadith. Then he recited: {Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse, Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful} [al-Baqarah 2:159-160]. Our brothers among the Muhajirin were preoccupied with going to do business in the marketplaces, and our brothers among the Ansar were preoccupied with tending to their properties. But Abu Hurayrah used to stay with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and was content with just enough to eat. He was present when they were not present and he memorized what they did not memorize..

Commentary : The Sahabah narrated the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to others; some of them narrated a great deal and some of them narrated only a few reports. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the Sahabah who narrated the most, even though he was late in coming to Islam. Therefore some people said that Abu Hurayrah narrated the most hadith of all the Sahabah, but he was afraid that they might develop doubts about the soundness of his hadiths. Therefore he said: Were it not for these two verses – {Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse, Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful} [al-Baqarah 2:159-160] – in which Allah (may He be exalted) warns the one who withholds knowledge of a curse, he would not have narrated a single hadith to them. But he was afraid that this curse might befall him if he withheld the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then he explained the reason that helped him to memorize this great number of hadiths which no one else memorized. It was his staying close to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) more than anyone else among the Sahabah. That was because the Muhajirin were preoccupied with buying and selling in the marketplaces, which kept them from staying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and regularly attending his gatherings. The Ansar were preoccupied with working for a living in their gardens and fields. As for Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), he stayed close to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and was content with a little simple food every day. He attended most of the gatherings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he memorized from him what the others did not memorize, because he was always with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith highlights the virtue of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
It also points to the importance of preserving knowledge and persisting in seeking it.
And it highlights the virtue of being content with little in this world, and giving precedence to seeking knowledge over seeking wealth..

119
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: I said: O Messenger of Allah, I hear many hadiths from you that I forget. He said: “Spread out your cloak.” So I spread it out. Then he scooped with his hands, then he said: “Gather it up.” So I gathered it up, and I never forgot anything after that. .

Commentary : The Sahabah were keen to learn and memorize the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and convey it to the ummah who came after them. Abu Hurayrah was one of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) who narrated the most reports, even though he was late in coming to Islam. In this hadith, he narrates that he complained to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he forgot too many hadiths that he had heard from him, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed him to spread out his garment, after which he made a scooping gesture with his hands. No mention is made of what was scooped, or of what he scooped, because that was simply a gesture. Then he instructed him to gather it up to his chest, so Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) did that, then he never forgot anything that he heard from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). This was one of the miracles of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that was the reason why Abu Hurayrah narrated so many reports, as he was in a position to issue fatwas and teach hadiths until he died. Hence many people narrated from him; it was said that eight hundred of the Tabi‘in narrated from him, which did not happen in the case of anyone else. Allah blessed him, and the number of his reports was greater than five thousand.
This hadith highlights one of the miracles of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and shows how the blessing (barakah) of his dua was manifested, as forgetfulness was taken away from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
It also highlights the virtue of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
It points to the importance of preserving knowledge and persisting in seeking it..

120
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: I memorized two types of knowledge from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). As for the first type, I spread it; as for the second type, if I were to spread it, this throat would be cut..

Commentary : In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he learned two different types of knowledge from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The first type was Islamic knowledge having to do with beliefs and rulings, which he spread and conveyed. As for the other type, if he had conveyed it and narrated it to the people, he would have been slaughtered like a sheep, with his throat cut. The word used in the original Arabic refers to cutting the oesophagus. Perhaps this knowledge had to do with bad rulers or tribulations, such as the murder of ‘Uthman and al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them both).
Someone may say: how could he regard it as permissible to withhold a hadith of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he said, “Convey from me”? And how could the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) have said something that, if it was mentioned, the one who narrated it would be killed? How could the Muslims, namely the Sahabah and Tabi‘in, regard it as permissible to kill someone who narrated from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? The answer is that what he withheld did not have to do with Islamic teachings, which it is not permissible to withhold or conceal. Abu Hurayrah himself said – as was narrated from him by al-Bukhari –: Were it not for a verse in the Book of Allah, I would not have narrated to you. That verse is: {Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse, Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful} [al-Baqarah 2:159-160].
So how can anyone think that he withheld anything having to do with the teachings of Islam after this verse, and after the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) issued instructions to convey from him, and he used to say to them: “Let those of you who are present convey to those who are absent”? Rather what was concealed was words such as: So-and-so is a hypocrite; or, You will kill ‘Uthman; or, “My ummah will be doomed at the hands of some young men of Quraysh,” the clan of So-and-so. If he had stated their names openly, they would have declared him to be a liar and killed him.
This hadith highlights the virtue of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
It also indicates that the one who seeks to enjoin what is right and proper may speak in ambiguous terms if he fears for his life were he to speak clearly. .

121
It was narrated from Jarir that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him during the Farewell Pilgrimage: “Tell the people to listen attentively.” Then he said: “Do not go back to being disbelievers after I am gone, striking one another’s necks.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to advise his ummah and guide them to that which was in their best interests, and he would forbid them to do that which would harm them in their religious and worldly affairs, in this world and the hereafter.
In this hadith, Jarir ibn ‘Abdillah al-Bajali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed him, during the Farewell Pilgrimage, to tell the people to be quiet and pay heed to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and to listen attentively to what he was going to say to them. When they fell silent, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) addressed them and warned them not to go back to being disbelievers after he was gone, striking one another’s necks. That would be the case if they let enmity and hatred amongst themselves prompt them to regard it as permissible to shed one another’s blood. It was said: it may be that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) knew that this would not happen during his lifetime, so he forbade them to do that after he died. In other words, he was saying: when I depart this world, remain steadfast after I am gone in the faith and piety that you are currently adhering to; do not wage war against the Muslims, and do not take their wealth unlawfully. It was also said that what was meant was: Do not let your actions be like the actions of the disbelievers by striking the necks of the Muslims.
This hadith indicates that a person should listen attentively to his companion, so long as he is not speaking of anything haram.
This hadith is also one of the signs of the prophethood of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It also indicates that it is emphatically forbidden for the Muslims to fight one another and shed one another’s blood..

122
It was narrated that Sa‘id ibn Jubayr said: I said to Ibn ‘Abbas: Nawf al-Bakali is claiming that Musa is not the Musa of the Children of Israel; rather he is some other Musa. He said: The enemy of Allah is lying. Ubayy ibn Ka‘b told us, narrating from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “Musa the Prophet stood up and addressed the Children of Israel. He was asked: ‘Which of the people is most knowledgeable?’ He said: ‘I am the most knowledgeable.’ Then Allah rebuked him for not referring the matter of knowledge to Him, and Allah revealed to him: ‘One of My slaves, at the junction of the two seas, is more knowledgeable than you.’ He said: ‘O Lord, how can I reach him?’ It was said to him: ‘Carry a fish in a basket, and when you lose it, he will be there.’ So he set out with his servant, Yusha‘ ibn Nun, and they carried a fish in a basket, until they reached the rock, where they lay down their heads and slept. The fish snuck out of the basket and took its course into the sea, slipping away, and Musa and his servant were amazed. They continued on their way for the rest of that night, and the following day, in the morning, Musa said to his servant: ‘Bring us our morning meal. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, [much] fatigue.’ Musa did not feel any fatigue until he went beyond the place he had been instructed to seek. His servant said to him: ‘Did you see when we retired to the rock? Indeed, I forgot [there] the fish. And none made me forget it except Satan.’ Musa said: ‘That is what we were seeking.’ So they returned, following their footprints. When they reached the rock, they saw a man covered with a garment, or covering himself with his own garment. Musa greeted him with salaam, and Khadir said: ‘Do people in your land greet one another with salaam?’ He said: ‘I am Musa.’ Khadir said: ‘The Musa of the Children of Israel?’ Musa said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘May I follow you so that you might teach me some of that knowledge which you have been taught?’ Khadir said: ‘You will never be able to remain patient with me, O Musa. I have some knowledge that Allah has taught me, which you do not know, and you have some knowledge that He taught you which I do not know.’ Musa said: ‘You will find me, if Allah wills, patient, and I will not disobey you in anything.’ So they set out, walking along the seashore, as they did not have a boat. Then a boat passed by them, so they asked the crew of the boat to take them on board. The crew recognized al-Khadir, so they took them on board without any fare. Then a sparrow came and alighted on the edge of the boat, and dipped its beak in the sea once or twice. Al-Khadir said: ‘O Musa, my knowledge and your knowledge has not detracted anything from the knowledge of Allah except as much as the beak of this sparrow has detracted from the water of the sea.’
Then al-Khadir went to one of the planks of the boat and pulled it out. Musa said: ‘These people took us on board without any fare, but you have scuttled their boat so as to drown its crew!’ Al-Khadir said: ‘Did I not tell you that you would never be able to remain patient with me?’ Musa said: ‘Do not blame me for what I forgot and do not make it too difficult for me to follow you.’ So in the first instance, Musa’s excuse was that he forgot.
Then they continued on their way, and saw a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khadir took hold of the top of the boy’s head and pulled it off with his hands. Musa said: ‘Have you killed an innocent soul who killed no one?’ Al-Khadir said: ‘Did I not tell you that you would never be able to remain patient with me?’ –  Ibn ‘Uyaynah said: Here it became more certain [that Musa would not be able to remain patient with him] –
Then they continued on their way until they came to the people of a town, and asked its people for food, but they refused to show them any hospitality. In the town, they found a wall that was about to collapse, so al-Khadir gestured with his hands and repaired it. Musa said: ‘If you wish, you could have taken payment for it.’ Khadir said: ‘This is the parting of the ways between me and you.’”
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “May Allah have mercy on Musa. We wish that he had been patient so that we could have known more about his story with Khadir.”.

Commentary : In this hadith, Sa‘id ibn Jubayr narrates that he asked ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) about Musa, the one who met al-Khadir, because Nawf al-Bakali – who was a Tabi‘i from Damascus, a man of virtue and knowledge, especially with regard to the reports from Jewish sources (Isra’iliyyat), and he was the son of the wife of Ka‘b al-Ahbar – had claimed that he was not Musa, the Messenger who was sent to the Children of Israel. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he was lying, and Sa‘id responded that he was indeed Musa, the Prophet who was sent to the Children of Israel. Then he told him of a hadith narrated from Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him), that he heard from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about the story of Musa (peace be upon him) and al-Khadir. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said that whilst Allah’s Prophet Musa was among a group of Israelites, a man came to him and asked him: Do you know of anyone more knowledgeable than you on earth? Musa (peace be upon him) said no, because he thought that there could not be anyone who was more knowledgeable than him, for he was a prophet who received revelation. But Allah rebuked him for not referring the matter of knowledge to Him. It was said that this was by way of alerting Musa (peace be upon him) and to serve as a lesson for those who came after him, lest anyone else follow his example in self-praise and self-admiration, and thus become doomed. So Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) revealed to him: there is indeed someone who is more knowledgeable than you, to whom Allah has granted knowledge from Himself other than what He has revealed to you. He is a slave of Allah whose name is Khadir, and he is at the junction of the two seas; the two seas were the sea of Persia which is in the east, and the sea of the Byzantines which is in the west. And it was said that the junction of the two seas was at Tangiers, in the furthest reaches of the Maghreb [modern-day Morocco].
So Musa asked: How can I reach him? Allah (may He be exalted) said: Look for him on the seashore, by the rock. He said: O Lord, how will I find the place? Allah said: Take a fish in a basket, and when you lose the fish, then go back to the place where you lost it, and you will meet him there. It was said that he took a salted fish and said to his servant: When you lose the fish, tell me. When they reached the rock by the sea, they lay down their heads and slept, and the fish came out of the basket when they were not looking, went into the sea and swam away. That was something amazing for Musa and his servant, as the fish came back to life, slipped out of the basket and went into the sea. Then the water was held in place with the fish, whilst they proceeded for the rest of that night and the following day. In the morning, Musa said to his servant Yusha‘ ibn Nun: Bring us our morning meal so we can eat. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, [much] fatigue. Musa did not experience any fatigue until he went beyond the place he had been instructed to go to in order to meet al-Khadir. The servant said to Musa: {Did you see when we retired to the rock? Indeed, I forgot [there] the fish. And none made me forget it except Satan} [al-Kahf 18:62]. That was because, after resting by the sea, the servant forgot the fish, then they travelled on for a while. When the servant remembered that, he told Musa (peace be upon him) about that, so he said to him: {“That is what we were seeking.” So they returned, following their footprints} [al-Kahf 18:64]. So they went back, tracing their footsteps, until they reached the place where they had lost the fish. There they found al-Khadir, covered with his garment. Musa greeted him with salaam, and al-Khadir said: Do people in your land greet one another with salaam?  This appeared in the form of a question, but what was meant was that it was thought unlikely, which indicates that the people of that land were not Muslims at that time. According to a report narrated by Muslim: Musa said to al-Khadir: Al-salaamu ‘alaykum (peace be upon you), so he uncovered his face and said: Wa ‘alaykum al-salaam. The two reports may be reconciled by noting that he asked this question after returning the greeting.
Musa asked him to allow him to follow him, so that he could learn from his knowledge, but al-Khadir explained to him that he would never be able to bear with patience what he would see, because of the difference in the types of knowledge that each of them had learned, even though all of that came from Allah. Musa (peace be upon him) promised him that he would show patience and would never comment on anything that al-Khadir did. So they travelled along the seashore, then a boat passed by them, so they asked the crew to let them on board. They recognized al-Khadir, so they took them on board without any fare, by way of honouring him.
Then a sparrow came and sat on the edge of the boat, and dipped its beak in the sea once or twice, picking up some of the seawater. This was a kind of parable which al-Khadir explained to Musa as meaning that the knowledge of each of them, in comparison to the knowledge of Allah, was like the drop of water that the bird took from the sea.
Then al-Khadir removed a plank from the boat, with the aim of making it appear defective. Musa (peace be upon him) was astounded at his action, especially after the crew of the boat had honoured them, and he asked al-Khadir why he had done that. Al-Khadir said to him: {Did I not say that with me you would never be able to have patience?} [al-Kahf 18:72], so Musa (peace be upon him) apologized. So in the first instance, Musa’s excuse was that he forgot.
Then they disembarked from the boat, and they found a small boy playing with other children. Al-Khadir grabbed the top of his head and separated his head from his body for no obvious reason, or for any offence on the child’s part. Once again, Musa was shocked, and he broke the condition of patience, and asked in amazement: Have you killed an innocent soul for no sin and for not having killed another? This was the second time that he did not show patience.
Then they continued on their way, and entered a town, where they asked its people for food and hospitality, but they refused. Despite that, when al-Khadir found a tumbledown wall that was about to collapse, he built it up and repaired it so that it would not collapse. Musa said to him: If you wish, you could charge a fee for rebuilding it. This was the third time that Musa (peace be upon him) did not show patience, and this was the parting of the ways between them, so they separated after al-Khadir explained to him the wisdom behind all of these things, as is mentioned in the verses in which Allah (may He be exalted) says:
{As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working at sea. So I intended to cause defect in it as there was after them a king who seized every [good] ship by force.
And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared that he would overburden them by transgression and disbelief,
So we intended that their Lord should substitute for them one better than him in purity and nearer to mercy.
And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure for them, and their father had been righteous. So your Lord intended that they reach maturity and extract their treasure, as a mercy from your Lord. And I did it not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience}
[al-Kahf 18:79-82].
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “May Allah have mercy on Musa. We wish that he had been patient.” This was an expression of his wish that Musa (peace be upon him) had adhered to the condition of showing patience with al-Khadir, so that he could have told us of the wondrous and amazing things that would have occurred on their journey together.
After that, the extent of al-Khadir’s knowledge became clear to Musa (peace be upon him), which was based on what Allah had taught him of unseen matters and events that demonstrate the power of Allah, of which the Prophets had no knowledge except what they were told by the Creator (may He be glorified in exalted).
This hadith encourages people to put up with hardship for the sake of seeking knowledge.
It indicates that one should strive to increase in knowledge and seek more of it, and show due respect to one who has more knowledge. It also highlights the virtue of seeking knowledge and of showing the proper etiquette towards scholars and knowledgeable people.
It indicates that one should remain humble when seeking knowledge, and the seeker of knowledge should serve his teacher if he is younger than him.
It highlights an important basic principle of Islam, which is that one should not object on the basis of reason to what one may not understand of the teachings and rulings of Islam, and that nothing may be regarded as good or bad except on the basis of Islamic teachings and religious texts.
It indicates that a person should apologize if he goes against the rules to which he committed himself.
It also indicates that one should judge matters on the basis of what they appear to be, unless one learns otherwise.
It indicates that lying is saying something other than what in fact is the case, either deliberately or by mistake.
It indicates that when there are two evils, it is permissible to ward off the greater evil by committing the lesser evil..

123
It was narrated that Abu Musa said: A man came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, what is fighting in Allah’s cause? For one of us may fight out of anger, or he may fight on the basis of tribal feelings. He lifted his head to him, and he only lifted his head to him because the man was standing, and said: “Whoever fights so that the word of Allah may be supreme is fighting in the cause of Allah.”.

Commentary : Having a good intention is a condition of deeds being acceptable to Allah (may He be exalted). Any deed in which this condition is not met will be as worthless as scattered dust, and will not bring any benefit to the doer, whether it is fighting in Allah’s cause or any other deed.
In this hadith, Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about the true definition of fighting in Allah’s cause, and told him that a man may fight out of anger, meaning that he is seeking revenge and retaliating against an enemy, or he may fight out of tribal feeling, which is based on pride, in defence of his own people. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) responded by stating that the one who fights so that the word of Allah may be supreme, and his aim and intention in fighting is that the word of Tawhid should be the word that prevails in this land, the word that has power and authority that cannot be pushed back, and its dominion has no limits, is truly striving in Allah’s cause. This is the true mujahid who, if he is killed, will attain martyrdom, and if he returns, he will return with reward and booty.
In this hadith, we see that having a sound intention is a condition of deeds being acceptable to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted).
This hadith highlights what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was given of eloquence and concise speech.
It also mentions that the virtue that is ascribed to the mujahidin is only for those who fight so that the word of Allah (may He be exalted) may be supreme..

125
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah said: Whilst I was walking with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in a remote part of Madinah, and he was leaning on a stick made of palm leaves that he had with him, he passed by a group of Jews. They said to one another: Ask him about the soul. One of them said: Do not ask him, lest he say something about it that you dislike. Another of them said: No, let us ask him. One of them stood up and said: O Abul Qasim, what is the soul? He remained silent, so I thought: Revelation is coming to him. So I stood up. When the revelation had finished, he said: {And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, “The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little”} [al-Isra’ 17:85]. Al-A‘mash [one of the narrators] said: This is how it is in our recitation..

Commentary : In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he was walking with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in a remote part of Madinah, which was a sparsely populated area, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was leaning on a stick made of palm leaves. He passed by a group of Jews, some of whom wanted to ask the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about the soul, thinking that by doing so, they would be asking him something that he could not answer, and thus they would stir up doubts about him. Some of them supported the idea, but others thought that they should not ask him this question, for fear that he might say something about it that they would dislike. Then they decided to go ahead and ask him. The kunyah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was Abul Qasim so they called out to him by this kunyah and asked him about the soul. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) remained silent, and the revelation came down to him, and he recited the verse: {And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, “The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little”} [al-Isra’ 17:85]. In other words, knowledge of the soul is a divine matter that Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has kept to Himself, to the exclusion of all others, and the knowledge that you have is only a small part of knowledge, because no matter how great human knowledge may grow, it is still limited, and human reason is also limited; the secrets of this universe are too great to be comprehended by finite human reason.
In this hadith, we see that the soul is a matter of the unseen, and one of the secrets of divine knowledge.
It also indicates how very small human knowledge is, and that human reason cannot comprehend everything..

1405
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: We used to engage in Mut'ah in return for a handful of dates and flour during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Bakr until 'Umar forbade it in the case of 'Amr ibn Hurayth..

Commentary : The Shar'i marriage is a system that establishes a united family, preserves each party's rights, and highlights human dignity. Mut'ah marriage, on the other hand, damages society and causes loss for women. A man may like a woman and marry her for a specific period in return for a certain compensation. This is no more than fulfilling lust, and it leads to many evils; that's why it was more appropriate to forbid it.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that they used to marry women for enjoyment and fulfilling lust, and this was permissible and then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared it unlawful. This kind of relationship was so lowly that they would agree to "a handful of dates and flour" as a dowry or gift from the man to the woman, which is a small amount, equivalent to a meal. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that they continued to do so while the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was living among them. Then, when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, they engaged in Mut'ah marriage during the caliphate of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) until 'Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade it during his caliphate, in the case of the Companion' Amr ibn Hurayth. 'Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) married a woman by Mut'ah marriage during the reign of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and she got pregnant from him. The statement of Jābir and the action of 'Amr (may Allah be pleased with both of them) are taken to indicate that the Prophet's prohibition of such marriage did not reach them.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) permitted the Mut'ah marriage in the beginning and then forbade it later during the battle of Khyber until the Day of Judgment, and he declared it unlawful during the Farewell Hajj, as narrated by Al-Bukhāri, Muslim, and others.
The Hadīth indicates that Mut‘ah marriage is forbidden.
It warns against doing anything forbidden by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
It also points out that the ruler can force specific rulings on the people to serve the interests of society..

1406
Sabrah al-Juhani reported: I married a woman from Banu' Āmir by Mut'ah marriage during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for two red Burds (cloaks). Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade us from Mut'ah..

Commentary : Islam has established the Shar‘i marriage system on the most just standard to preserve progeny and honor, and it has forbidden all means of enjoying women that were widespread in Jāhiliyyah and which do not protect their rights. It began to legislate that gradually so that people could adopt it rightly.
In this Hadīth, Sabrah ibn Ma‘bad al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he married women by Mut‘ah marriage during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Mut‘ah is one of the kinds of marriage in which a man enjoys a woman in return for compensation agreed by them and for a specified period, and the marriage ends with the elapse of that period. Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that he married a woman from Banu ‘Āmir by Mut‘ah marriage and gave her two red Burds, a reference to her dowry. Burd: a striped garment opened from the front and placed on the shoulders like a cloak, yet it is smaller than it. A person can wrap it around himself or let it hang down. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade Muslims from Mut‘ah marriage. Another version by Muslim points out that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it in the year of the Conquest of Makkah.
The Mut'ah marriage was known during the early stages of Islam, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not forbid them from it during their travels, given their need for it. However, he forbade them from it during their stay and residence in their countries. The ruling of the Mut'ah marriage passed through various phases, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from it more than once. Then, he ordered them to engage in it at various times until he made it permanently forbidden. Forbidding the Mut'ah marriage was reported in many narrations, which point out that the prohibition was during the Conquest of Makkah, and this is the most famous opinion, or during the battle of Awtās, or the battle of Khaybar, or during the Prophet's last days in the Farewell Hajj. It was a permanent prohibition, not a temporary one, thus leaving no room for any difference of opinion among the jurists and the leading scholars of the Ummah. Only some of the Shiites hold a different opinion, and their opinion does not count..

1406
Ar-Rabī‘ ibn Sabrah reported that his father joined battle along with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during the Conquest of Makkah. He said: We stayed in it for fifteen; thirty including days and nights. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) permitted us to engage in Mut‘ah marriage to women. A man from my people and I went out. I surpassed him in beauty, and he was close to ugliness. Each of us had a Burd (cloak). My Burd was old, while the Burd of my cousin was new and fresh. When we reached the south of Makkah - or its north - we came across a girl like a young smart long-necked she-camel. We said: "Would you agree that one of us engage in Mut‘ah marriage with you?" She said: "What would you give?" Each of us spread out his Burd, and she began to look at the two men and my companion saw her looking on her side. He said: "The Burd of this is old, and my Burd is new and fresh." She said: "The Burd of this is not bad," three times or twice. Then, I engaged in Mut‘ah marriage with her, and I did not come out of it until the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared it unlawful. [In a version]: He added: She said: Is this valid? And he said: The Burd of this is old and worn-out..

Commentary : Islam has established the Shar‘i marriage system on the best methods for preserving progeny and honor, and it has forbidden the ways of enjoying women, which were prevalent during Jāhiliyyah and did not protect their rights. It was legislated gradually so people could adopt it rightly and not turn away all at once.
In this Hadīth, Sabrah ibn Ma‘bad (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he joined the battle along with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the Conquest of Makkah, in 8 A.H., and they stayed there for fifteen nights along with fifteen days. Thus, the total of nights and days was thirty. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave them permission to engage in Mut'ah marriage with women in return for compensation they would agree for a specific period, and it would come to an end with the elapse of this time. So, Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) went out along with a man from his people, who was his cousin, as will be mentioned in this narration. Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was more good-looking than him, and the other man was close to ugliness, i.e., unpleasant look and bad appearance. Each of them had a Burd he wanted to give to the woman he would marry by Mut‘ah. Burd: a striped garment opened from the front and placed on the shoulders like a cloak, yet it is smaller than it. A person can wrap it around himself or let it hang down. The garment of Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was old and worn out, whereas the Burd of his cousin was new. They kept searching until they reached the south of Makkah or its north. There, they came across a girl like "a young smart long-necked she-camel", i.e., she had a long, straight neck and shapely figure. They presented themselves to her so that she could choose one of them to marry her by Mut'ah. In another version, she asked them: "Is this valid?" She meant the validity of this kind of marriage as to whether it is lawful and permissible to enjoy a woman for a certain period of time! He replied to her in the affirmative, as narrated in the Mustakhraj of Abu ‘Awānah. She asked them: What would you offer in return for this marriage? Thereupon, each of them spread out his Burd. She began to look at the two men and compare between them. Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: And my companion was looking at her while she was looking on her side. When he saw her in this state, he said: The Burd of this is old, and my Burd is new and fresh, seeking to attract her to himself and keep her away from Sabrah. And in a version, he said: "The Burd of this is old and worn-out." She said: The Burd of this young man is not bad - three times or twice - as if she was reconsidering the matter and thinking of choosing the more youthful of the two men, regardless of how good the Burd was. She chose Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him), and he married her by Mut‘ah. Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that he did not leave her until the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared the Mut‘ah marriage unlawful. In another version by Muslim: "I stayed with her for three. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever has any of these women with whom he engaged in Mut‘ah marriage should let her go."
The Hadīth points out that Mut‘ah marriage was permanently prohibited after it had been permissible.
It affirms the existence of abrogation in the Sunnah..

1406
‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr reported: 'Abdullāh ibn az-Zubayr stood up in Makkah and said: "Allah has made blind the hearts of some people as He has deprived them of eyesight that they give a Fatwa in favor of Mut'ah", alluding to a certain man. He called him and said: "You are uncouth and coarse. By my life, Mut'ah was practiced during the lifetime of the leader of the pious", referring to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Thereupon, Ibn Az-Zubayr said to him: "Do it yourself, and by Allah, if you do that, I will stone you with your stones.".

Commentary : Islam came to preserve honor, as the preservation of honor is one of the five necessities that all divine legislations came to preserve, and these are: religion, life, honor, mind, and wealth.
This Hadīth points out that the issue of Mut‘ah marriage was subject to disagreement among some of the Companions. During the days of his caliphate in the Hejaz, ‘Abdullāh ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up to deliver a speech in Makkah, and he said: "Allah has made the hearts of some people blind", i.e., to the truth "as He has deprived them of eyesight", making them unable to see that they give a Fatwa to the people permitting Mut'ah marriage, which is a contract entailing enjoyment of a woman for a specific period in return for a certain dowry. By this statement of his, Ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) was "alluding to a certain man", namely 'Abdullāh ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), who lost his eyesight in the latter part of his life. Thereupon, Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) - who was attending the sermon - called him and said: "You are uncouth and coarse", i.e., you are simple-minded, rude, and harsh. Then, he said: "By my life, Mut‘ah was practiced during the lifetime of the leader of the pious", referring to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This is an oath he took over this matter. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) had his personal interpretation of the texts that prohibit Mut‘ah marriage, as he maintained that it is permissible in case of necessity or the like. So, Ibn az-Zubayr said to him: "Do it yourselves, and by Allah, if you do that, I will stone you with your stones" i.e., Mut‘ah marriage is unlawful. So, if you do it after that, you will become an adulterer and you will be punished by stoning to death.
Indeed, Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) spoke the truth when he said that it was practiced during the lifetime of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). But Ibn Az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) was in the right, for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed away while the prohibition of Mut'ah was the latter of the two relevant rulings.
The Hadīth shows that Mut‘ah marriage is prohibited.
It also indicates that the ruler can talk to the scholars regarding their Fatwas and choose for the people what serves the best interests of society..

1406
Sabrah al-Juhani reported: that he was with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he said: "O people, I had permitted you to engage in Mut‘ah with women, and indeed Allah has forbidden that until the Day of Judgment. So, he who has any of these women should let her go, and do not take back anything you have given them.".

Commentary : The Mut‘ah marriage is a fixed-term marriage, with the word 'tamattu‘' (enjoyment) verbally stated, in return for an amount of money. In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "O people, I had permitted you to engage in Mut‘ah with women" i.e., in the beginning, but the matter has finally been decided now. He clarified to the people that Allah, Exalted be He, forbade the Mut‘ah marriage altogether till the Day of Judgment.
The Mut'ah marriage was known during the early stages of Islam, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not forbid them from it during their travels, given their need for it. However, he forbade them from it during their stay and residence in their countries. The ruling of the Mut‘ah marriage passed through various phases; the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from it more than once; then, he ordered them to engage in it at various times until he made it permanently forbidden. Forbidding the Mut'ah marriage was reported in many narrations, which point out that the prohibition was during the Conquest of Makkah in the eighth Hijri year, and this is the most famous opinion, or during the battle of Awtās, also in the eighth Hijri year, or during the battle of Khaybar in the seventh Hijri year, or the Prophet's last days in the Farewell Hajj. It was a permanent prohibition, not a temporary one. So, the right thing is that Mut‘ah marriage was abrogated more than once. It was permitted during the battle of Khaybar and then forbidden therein, and then it was permitted in the year of the Conquest of Makkah, which is the year of the battle of Awtās, and then it was permanently forbidden. No difference of opinion remains among the jurists and the scholars of the Ummah over this issue, and none disagrees with that except some Shiites, whose view does not count.
Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded those engaged in Mut'ah marriage to separate from the women married to them, for they were not lawful to them. He also commanded that the man should not take anything of what he gave to the woman in return for enjoying her, even if the separation took place before the appointed period, as she deserved that by copulation with her..

1406
Khālid ibn al-Muhājir ibn Sayfullāh reported: that while he was sitting in the company of a man, a man came to him and asked for a Fatwa on Mut‘ah. He enjoined him to engage in it. Thereupon, Ibn Abi ‘Amrah al-Ansāri said to him: 'Wait.' He said: "What is it?! By Allah, it was practiced during the lifetime of the leader of the pious." Ibn Abi ‘Amrah said: "It was a dispensation in the early days of Islam for one who was driven to it by necessity, just like carrion, blood, and pork. Then Allah finally established the religion and prohibited it altogether.".

Commentary : When Islam came, it was keen to preserve the five necessities that all divine legislations came to preserve, and these are: religion, life, honor, mind, and wealth. It began to be legislated for society gradually so that people could adopt it rightly and not forsake it all at once.
In this Hadīth, the noble Tābi‘i Khālid ibn al-Muhājir ibn Sayfullāh informs that while he was sitting with a man - who was ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), according to the Mustakhraj of Abu ‘Awānah - a man came to him and sought a Fatwa from him about the ruling on marrying women by Mut‘ah marriage for a specific period in return for compensation agreed between them; Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), permitted him to marry women by Mut‘ah marriage. Thereupon, the Tābi‘i Ibn Abi ‘Amrah al-Ansāri - Muhammad ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Hārithah - said to Ibn ‘Abbās: 'Wait!' i.e., stop and do not rush. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "What is it?!" i.e., what is the matter that could prevent me from giving this Fatwa?! It seems he was criticizing him. By this, Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to reject Ibn Abi' Amrah's disapproval of his Fatwa. Then, he swore by Allah that it was practiced during the lifetime of the leader of the pious, referring to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The meaning: How could you criticize me while the people practiced it during the lifetime of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), at his command?! In reply, Ibn Abi ‘Amrah said that Mut‘ah was a dispensation for Muslims in the early days of Islam for those driven to it by necessity, just like a person driven by necessity to eat carrion, blood, and pork, if he is on the verge of death due to severe hunger. Then Allah completed the religion, perfected His commands and prohibitions, and permanently forbade marrying women by Mut‘ah marriage. Indeed, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) spoke the truth when he swore that it was practiced during the lifetime of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). But Ibn Abi ‘Amrah was right, for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed away while the prohibition of Mut‘ah was the latter of the two relevant rulings.
The Hadīth demonstrates that some of the Shar‘i rulings were superseded (abrogated).
It indicates that taking an oath for emphasis is legitimate.
It also shows that a great scholar may be unaware of some Shar‘i issues..

1409
‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The Muhrim (one in the state of Ihrām) must neither marry, nor give someone in marriage, nor get engaged.".

Commentary : Performing Hajj to Allah's Sacred House - for whoever finds a way thereto - is one of the pillars of Islam and one of its great rituals. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught us its pillars and how to make Ihrām (ritual state of consecration) for it. He clarified what the Muhrim is allowed to do and what he is not allowed to do.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "The Muhrim must neither marry," i.e., the Muhrim - who intends by his Ihrām Hajj, ‘Umrah, or both - must not contract marriage for himself and must not marry a woman. "Nor give someone in marriage," i.e., or give someone in marriage through guardianship or proxy. Since he himself is forbidden from getting married during the period of Ihrām; therefore, he is not to give someone in marriage during this period. Also, he should not "get engaged," as this involves hinting at a proposal of marriage. The secret behind such a prohibition is the fact that the Muhrim has engaged in an act of worship that takes up most of his time, so he must not be occupied with anything else that is not consistent with the state of such an act of worship. Allah has forbidden Rafath - which is sexual intercourse with women and what leads to it - while performing Hajj and its relevant acts, for marriage during the state of Ihrām calls one to commit Rafath. The purpose of this journey is to be devoted to Allah and to be occupied only with remembering Him, calling upon Allah loudly, declaring Allah's oneness, and making Dhikr and nothing else..

1409
Nubayh ibn Wahb reported: that ‘Umar ibn ‘Ubaydullāh ibn Ma‘mar intended to marry his son Talhah to the daughter of Shayba ibn Jubayr during Hajj. Abān ibn ‘Uthmān was the leader of pilgrims at that time. He sent someone to Abān saying: "I intend to marry Talhah ibn ‘Umar, and I like that you attend that." In reply, Abān said to him: "I find you to be a thickheaded Iraqi. I heard ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān say: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'A Muhrim should not marry.'".

Commentary : In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Nubayh ibn Wahb relates that the Tābi‘i ‘Umar ibn ‘Ubaydullāh wanted to marry his son Talhah to the daughter of Shaybah ibn Jubayr while they were in a state of Ihrām during Hajj. So, they wanted the Tābi‘i Abān ibn ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān to attend the contract. Abān, who was the leader of the Hajj convoy at the time, said to him: "I find you to be a thickheaded Iraqi" i.e., ignorant of the Sunnah. In some versions: 'a Bedouin', and a Bedouin is someone who lives in the desert. It is said: 'Iraqi' here is erroneous, unless he knew that the doctrine of the people of Kufa at the time permitted a Muhrim to marry, in which case 'Iraqi' would be correct, and it would mean: You are adopting their doctrine. Thickheaded denotes roughness along with ignorance.
Then, ‘Abān told them that he heard ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān (may Allah be pleased with him) say: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A Muhrim should not marry" i.e., a Muhrim should not get married. In a version in the Sahīh Muslim Collection: "And he should not marry others off," i.e., a man should not give a woman in marriage either as her guardian or representative. This is because a Muhrim is too busy to engage in marriage contracts, as this would necessarily distract his mind and make him unable to perform worship perfectly, for it involves proposing, asking, inviting, and meeting..

1411
Maymūnah bint al-Hārith reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married her when he was Halāl (outside the state of Ihrām). He said: She was my maternal aunt and the maternal aunt of Ibn ‘Abbās..

Commentary : Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified the rituals of Hajj in his words and deeds, which were reported by the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) just as they had learned them from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). During Hajj, some of what is permissible becomes forbidden for the one who assumes Ihrām.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Yazīd ibn al-Asamm reports that his maternal aunt, Maymūnah bint al-Hārith (may Allah be pleased with her), wife of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married her when he was Halāl, i.e., was not a Muhrim (one in the state of Ihrām). In Abu Dāwūd's narration, Maymūnah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married me when we were both Halāl (outside the state of Ihrām) at Sarif." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) contracted marriage with her on his way to Makkah to make ‘Umrah al-Qadā’ (deferred ‘Umrah) in 7 AH, before assuming Ihrām. Their marriage became known after he had assumed Ihrām. Then, he consummated marriage with her when he was outside the state of Ihrām on the way back to Madīnah in an area called Sarif, which is almost 10 kilometers away from Makkah, and it was said: 16 kilometers away, and there are other opinions as well.
Then, Yazīd reported that Maymūnah (may Allah be pleased with her) was his maternal aunt and the maternal aunt of Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) in reference to Ibn ‘Abbas's mistake in what he reported about the Prophet's marrying Maymūnah while being a Muhrim. However, Maymūnah (may Allah be pleased with her) certainly knew herself better than Ibn ‘Abbās. Moreover, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The Muhrim (one in the state of Ihrām) must neither marry, nor give someone in marriage, nor get engaged." [Narrated by Muslim].

1424
Abu Hurayrah reported: As I was in the company of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), a man came to him and told him that he married a woman from the Ansār. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Did you look at her?" He said: 'No.' He said: "Go and look at her, for indeed, there is something in the eyes of the Ansār.".

Commentary : Islam established the Shar‘i marriage system to preserve progeny and honor and it is keen on the continuity of cordiality and love between the two spouses and legislated means to this end from the beginning of engagement so that it would be more likely for them to continue their life together.
In this Hadīth, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that he was present with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when a man came and informed him that he proposed marriage to a woman from the Ansār - the people of Madīnah - and wanted to marry her. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: "Did you look at her?" This is an instruction urging the man to look at the woman before proposing marriage, as this would encourage him to marry her or cause him to refrain from her. The man replied that he did not look at her. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to go and look at her. In a Hadīth narrated by Abu Dāwūd and reported by Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him): "When one of you asks a woman in marriage; if he is able to look at what will induce him to marry her, let him do so." This points out that a man should look at the woman by himself if he can, so as to see what encourages him to like and marry her.
Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified the reason behind his instruction to look at her, saying: "for indeed there is something in the eyes of the Ansār, " i.e., some disliked blueness, smallness, or the like. This signals that a man should usually look at the face and hands, as her beauty can be recognized from the face, and the tenderness of her body can be known through her hands. The looking should happen before betrothal, lest it will be hard for her if he decides to retract his proposal, in case he does not like her.
The Prophet's instruction serves a great interest. There may be something in the woman that would badly affect the continuity of their relationship after marriage, and he can identify it by looking at her, so he will leave her before the consummation of marriage; this would be lighter, simpler, and easier than consummating the marriage and divorcing her after that.
The Hadīth indicates that a man should look at his fiancée before marrying her.
It points out the excellence of the pure Shariah and its perfect guidelines, as it takes into consideration the interests of people by which their livelihood can be set in order in this world and the Hereafter without undergoing regret and sorrow over what was missed..

1426
Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān reported: I asked ‘Ā’ishah: "How much was the Sadāq (dowry) paid by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)?" She said: "His dowry for his wives was twelve ’Uqiyyahs and one Nashsh. Do you know what the Nashsh is?" I said: "No." She said: "It is a half ’Uqiyyah, so this equals five hundred dirhams, and it was the dowry that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) paid to his wives.".

Commentary : Sadāq is the dowry and the money paid to the woman when getting married. Allah Almighty has made it a right that is due to the woman. Allah Almighty says: {Give women their marriage dowries graciously.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 4]
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān reports that he asked the Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): How much was the dowry paid by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to his wives? She told him that it was twelve ’Uqiyyahs and one Nashsh. The ’Uqiyyah is forty dirhams, and the dirham refers to a coin made of pure silver, and one ’Uqiyyah is equal to 28.35 grams. The Nashsh is half a Uqiyyah. So, the dowry paid by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to his wives was five hundred dirhams. It means that this is what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mostly paid to his wives, simply because Al-Bukhāri narrated that the dowry of Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) was emancipating her, and likewise the dowry of Juwayriyah bint al-Hārith was emancipating her. Moreover, An-Najāshi paid four thousand dirhams to Umm Habībah (may Allah be pleased with her) when he gave her in marriage to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). And no mention was made about the dowry of Zaynab bint Jahsh. So, the dowry does not have to be something specific; rather, it depends on everybody's ability and capability..

1428
Anas reported: When the waiting period of Zaynab was over, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to Zayd: "Make mention of me to her." He said: "Zayd went off until he came to her while she was fermenting her flour." He said: When I saw her, I felt her greatness in my chest, so much that I could not look at her; that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made mention of her. So, I turned my back toward her and turned upon my heels. I said: "O Zaynab, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has sent a message making mention of you." She said: "I will not do anything until I consult my Lord." So, she stood at her place of worship, and the Qur’an was revealed. Then the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came and entered her place without permission. He said: I recall when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) served us bread and meat at midday. Then, the people went out, and some men remained talking in the house after the meal. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out, and I followed him. He began to go to his wives' rooms and greet them, and they would say: "O Messenger of Allah, how did you find your wife?" He said: I do not know whether I told him that the people had come out or he told me. He said: He moved on until he entered the house, and I went to enter with him. Thereupon, he placed the curtain between me and him, and the Hijab was sent down. He said: The people were preached by the preaching they received. He added in another version: {O you who believe, do not enter the houses of the Prophet unless you are given permission for a meal; not so early as to wait for the meal to be prepared... but Allah is not shy of [telling] the truth.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 53].

Commentary : Zaynab bint Jahsh, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), was the daughter of Umaymah bint 'Abdul-Muttalib, the paternal aunt of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had married Zaynab off to his freed slave Zayd ibn Hārithah (may Allah be pleased with him), whom the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had adopted before Allah prohibited adoption. However, Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) saw herself as superior to Zayd, and they used to have such disputes between spouses until Zayd divorced her.
In this Hadīth, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that when the divorce waiting period of Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) came to an end, after Zayd ibn Hārithah (may Allah be pleased with him) divorced her; and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised Zayd regarding his wife before he divorced her, as revealed in the verse that reads: {And [remember, O Prophet] when you were saying to the one who was favored by Allah and favored by you: "Keep your wife and fear Allah."} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 37] And in the other part of the verse, Allah Almighty said to His Prophet: {and you were fearing people, while it was more fitting that you should fear Allah. When Zayd no longer desired her, We gave her to you in marriage.} Allah Almighty informed His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that Zayd would divorce Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with both of them) and that she would be his wife after Zayd divorced her. He, however, concealed that within himself, fearing that the hypocrites might defame him and spread rumors to the effect that he forbade that a man should marry the wife of his son, and he married the wife of Zayd, who used to be called Zayd ibn Muhammad before that was forbidden and adoption was abolished.
Then Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him): "make mention of me to her" i.e., go and propose marriage to her on my behalf and mention me in her presence and say that I want to propose to her. Zayd left and reached her and saw her "fermenting her flour" i.e., preparing her dough for baking. Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that when his sight fell on her, he found it hard to look at her, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to propose to her. He treated her like the mothers of the believers and averted his gaze from her and turned his back toward her. He stepped backward and stood some distance away from her. This happened before Hijab was prescribed in the Qur’an.
Then Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) told her that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent him to propose marriage to her on his behalf. Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) told him that she would not give any response until she consulted her Lord and waited to see what Allah would do regarding her matter. So, she stood at her praying place in the house to offer the Istikhārah (consultation) prayer and "the Qur’an was revealed" i.e., the verses in Surat al-Ahzāb were revealed. Then the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) and entered her place without seeking permission, as she became his wife after Allah Almighty married her off to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) from above seven heavens.
Then Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he remembered when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had served them bread and meat in the wedding banquet for his marriage to Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her). All this happened when it was midday and the heat of the sun became intense. Those who ate from the banquet went out and there remained some people who engaged in talking within the house of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came out and left them in the house, talking. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) came out after him because he was his servant and would always accompany him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went to the houses of his wives to check on them and learn about their conditions, and the Prophet's wives would ask him: "O Messenger of Allah, how did you find your wife?" In a version narrated by Al-Bukhāri, it was ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), saying: "How did you find your wife? May Allah bless you." It is said: She said that by way of jesting. But it is more likely that she intended supplication for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to be blessed in his family and to be rest assured about them. In a version narrated by Muslim, the reply of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was: 'Fine.'
Then Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that he could not remember: Was he the one who told the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that the people, who had lingered and engaged in talking after the banquet, did leave, or it was the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who told him about that? When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) became sure that they had come out of the house, he quickly went and entered the house of Zaynab. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) intended to enter with him, as usual, but the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) put a curtain between the two of them; this was because the verses on Hijab in Surat al-Ahzāb were revealed: {O you who believe, do not enter the houses of the Prophet unless you are given permission for a meal; not so early as to wait for the meal to be prepared. But if you are invited, then enter, and when you have eaten, then disperse, without lingering for conversation. Such [behavior] causes annoyance to the Prophet; he is too shy to express it to you, but Allah is not shy of [telling] the truth.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 53]
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The people were preached by the preaching they received", i.e., they complied with the command of Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, and the statement of His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and they came to know the error they committed as they stayed for long in the house of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and engaged in conversation.
The Hadīth points out the merit of Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her).
It indicates that a person should entrust his affairs to Allah Almighty in all his conditions.
It demonstrates the modesty of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
It urges performance of the Istikhārah prayer before undertaking any matter.
It also urges checking on one's family to rest assured about them..

1431
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If any of you is invited, let him accept the invitation. If he is fasting, let him pray (for the inviter); if he is not fasting, let him eat.".

Commentary : A manifestation of tolerance of Islam is taking into consideration solidarity and affection between people. Hence, it encourages responding to the inviter and deems it one of the rights that the Muslim owes to his brother, all for the sake of having a society where the spirit of love, brotherhood, solidarity, and coherence prevails.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that if one is invited for food - whether a banquet or something else - by his Muslim brother, he must accept the invitation and go. If one who received the food invitation happens to be fasting, whether it be a voluntary fast, a missed fast, or a vow; since the inviter would not have invited him if it had been an obligatory fast during Ramadān, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) guides the fasting person to clarify his status in another version of Muslim, saying: "Let him say: I am fasting" as an apology to the inviter and a way of informing him that he is fasting and cannot eat his food. "Let him pray," i.e., let him pray for the house dwellers to be granted goodness and blessings and let him engage in supplicating for them. Let him also inform his Muslim brother, who invited him, that his abstention is only because of fasting and not because he does not want to eat his food. It was the Arabs' habit to abstain from eating the food of the one towards whom they held evil intentions. If the person invited is not fasting, then let him eat from the food.
The Hadīth signifies a command to accept the invitation for food.
It also encourages supplicating for the food providers (the host)..

1437
Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Verily, one of the most important trusts in the sight of Allah on the Day of Judgment is a man who is intimate with his wife, and she is intimate with him, and then he divulges her secret." Ibn Numayr said: [Another version reads]: Verily, the most important..

Commentary : Having a healthy marital relationship and seeking love and mercy are among the means of protecting this bond and this pledge that Allah has made solemn and has described as being solemn given its strength and significance.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that the most serious breach, betrayal, and violation of trust, and the gravest in terms of punishment in the sight of Allah on the Day of Judgment, the day of recompense, is the man's betrayal to his wife. "a man who is intimate with his wife, and she is intimate with him" is an indirect reference to sexual intercourse and physical contact between the spouses, i.e., everything related to marital secrets and what each spouse entrusts to the other. Then after this, the man divulges her secret, i.e., the hidden physical defects. It could also mean describing what occurs between the spouses regarding the enjoyment and what the woman says or does during the intercourse. In fact, this is a severe threat and a warning for one who reveals his spouse's secret. The advice is addressed to both spouses along with the warning against divulging each other's secrets. Thus, the man must not reveal her secret and vice versa. However, he mentioned one of them - the husband - to refer to the other, or he made no mention of the wife divulging her husband's secret because the woman, in principle, tends to conceal and hide whatever is indecent and she rarely does this because of her bashfulness, unlike the man who is expected to do this..

1439
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: A man asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), saying: "I have a slave-girl and I practice coitus interruptus with her." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, this would not prevent something willed by Allah." He said: The man came and said: "O Messenger of Allah, the slave-girl I mentioned to you has become pregnant." Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I am the servant and Messenger of Allah.".

Commentary : All the destinies of created beings lie in the Hand of Allah alone. He is the Knower of the unseen things. A Muslim should rely upon Allah, pursue the proper means, and then entrust his affairs to Allah Almighty.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that a man came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and asked him about coitus interruptus and informed that he had a slave-girl with whom he practiced coitus interruptus lest she would get pregnant; so, is it permissible for him to practice coitus interruptus with her or not? Coitus interruptus is practiced by removing the male sex organ out of the woman's vulva before ejaculation, and the man ejaculates outside the vulva, to prevent pregnancy. Replying to him, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, this would not prevent something willed by Allah." The meaning: Indeed, if Allah Almighty predestined the creation of a soul, it would surely be created; and that the fluid and semen may outrun you, and you cannot stop it, and your keenness in this regard would not avail you. The semen could quickly come out without the man practicing coitus interruptus feeling it to execute what Allah predestined. There is no soul determined in the knowledge of Allah Almighty that it will be born except that it will exist in reality, whether coitus interruptus is practiced or not. Likewise, ejaculation may happen inside, and no pregnancy takes place. So, coitus interruptus and ejaculation inside are alike in terms of the fact that pregnancy can only happen by Allah's predestination.
Then, after some time, that man came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and spoke to him about this slave-girl with whom he had practiced coitus interruptus and told him that she got pregnant. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I am the servant and Messenger of Allah" i.e., what I say to you is true; so, adopt it and be certain of it, for indeed it will surely come to pass.
The Hadīth shows the keenness of the Companions in learning the matters of their religion from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..